May Pole

Celebrate Beltane this weekend! Time for FROLICKING!

Full Moon in Scorpio, Wednesday, April 28th

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The history of Valentine’s Day and its patron saint is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine’s Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition.

Today’s celebration of Valentine’s Day grew out of a tradition that began many years ago in ancient Rome. A Roman feast of Lupercalia was celebrated on February 15. This ancient festival involved the celebration of fertility and honored two Roman gods, Juno and Pan. One of the conventions of this occasion called for young maidens to write love messages. The messages were placed in a large urn and then drawn out by unmarried men who courted the fair maidens whose messages they had chosen.

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From my Brigid Ritual 2009 - Gratitude is the remedy for tightness. When we give thanks, scarcity fades away.

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This is the Winter Solstice Greeting from Mary Swanson:

Dear, Cuddly and Much Beloved Children of The Earth,

Winter Solstice is here again– the longest night of the year is Sunday, December 20th.  On Monday, the light returns a little earlier and stays a little longer each day until Summer Solstice.Here in Vermont the weather has been mild.  We’ve had a few snowfalls but mostly at night you can walk out easily and observe the astonishing sky here.  The stars are brilliant, infinite and reach out into the forever. Slow down time is here.  Solstice (Sol = sun; stice = standing still)   Even in the midst of the holiday rush,  it seems like a sacred act… slowing down.

Human beings have been observing Winter Solstice since time began.  All over the world there are artifacts showing us that our ancestors watched the sky closely.  They marked when the sun’s light began to increase.  Our folk histories are full of stories about ancient rituals and time spent outside the normal everyday routines.

This Solstice is marked by the square between Pluto and Saturn.  They’ll be continuing this little dance until August.

Pluto represents the part of the psyche that has to do with bringing to consciousness the hidden, the taboo, the unsustainable, the dark underbelly of what we’d rather not see. Pluto is like a scalpel that lances a festering wound.  It is ruthless transformation insisting on naked truth & the unmasking of all artifice.

Saturn represents authority, structures, foundations, systems, physical reality, precedent.  It is the part of us that seeks what is real, of durable worth and can support sustained growth.
In the language of astrology, a square aspect between two planets means they’re having trouble understanding each other.   It’s difficult to imagine the other’s point of view.  And there’s no easy avenue for learning.  The relationship is marked by sudden conflicts and misunderstandings.

Pluto & Saturn are talking to us about our own sense of power and authority.  Anything built on a false foundation is crumbling.   Any sense of security based on denial is being ripped out from under our feet.  Structures that do not support healthy growth are being cleansed or are ending.  And it’s difficult to understand why.

The Sun, the light of conscious awareness, joins Pluto and begins to strengthen on Winter Solstice.  We may be shocked at what comes to light.  We may be angry or afraid. But as we allow ourselves to be conscious of what has been hidden, we have a chance to create sustainable life.

In the Pagan world, Nature is always there to show us how to come through difficult times.  At Solstice we slow down.  Observe.  An indisputable truth is being played out before your eyes:  in the darkest of times, the light returns.

Whatever darkness has been increasing in your world, change for the better may seem imperceptible at first, but if you’re paying attention, you can see it.

May your Solstice bring you Joy.

Blessed Be,
Mary

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Celebrate Lammas! Come together with friends and family, to play games, to make peace, to enjoy the bounty and to be generous. Our rituals honor the Earth’s abundance as we bake bread in the shape of a man or woman to represent the God and Goddess or create corn dollies. More ideas for Ritual and Altars.

Current Tip Full Moon in Aquarius and Lunar Lammas August 5, 2009

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Dear Enthusiastic and Ready Participants,

We are delighted to invite you to beautiful Petaluma for our Spring Transformational Retreat:  Expect a Miracle – Shed Your Skin!

We are all in a process of letting go of old beliefs that hold us back.  We are all in a process of learning to trust.  This retreat is designed to Magically assist you in creating your Abundant Life.  Whatever you are letting go of, whatever you are wanting to create, this Retreat will help that process.

From Friday night to Sunday at Noon we will be in Ritual:  meditating, painting, hiking, writing, divination, eating, laughing, creating, singing and making new friends.  Join us and experience a deep, fun & transformative weekend surrounded by the beauty, abundance and grace of Nature. There will be an astrological element so we ask that all participants provide us with birth time, date and place so we can have natal charts prepared. This year the retreat is limited to 20 participants so please let us know if you plan on attending, or would like to invite someone you know.

Your Dreams can come true.  It just takes a little Magic.

Love to you,
+ Heather and Mary

LEADERS Heather Sullivan Bleasdell and Mary Swanson with assistance from Shannon Danilovich, Jena Lindh and Laura Tabet

DATE May 1 – 3, 2009

TIME Friday night 7:00 – 10:00 PM, Saturday 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM, Sunday 9:30 AM – 12:00 noon

FOOD Tea, coffee, some snacks, plus Breakfast & Dinner on Saturday are included. Please bring Lunch for Saturday and any special snacks you enjoy.

ACCOMMODATIONS This is a non-residential retreat. If you would like to get more info on hotels, please visit registration page.

LOCATION Petaluma Art House, 608 Western Ave. Petaluma CA 94952

COST $250

WORK STUDY: 4 positions available to receive a $50 discount.

DEPOSIT $100 by April 15, 2009 (Deposit is non-refundable. Space is limited.)

REGISTER & More Info  http://www.buildaltars.com/springretreat09

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This full moon says, it’s time to Re-Bliss your Vision Boards before the new moon in Aries!

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My friend Mary Swanson says “6 weeks after the Winter Solstice, Six Weeks before Vernal Equinox– Imbolc, Candlemas, GroundHog’s Day.  That it’s a time to open the doors, shake out the rugs,  “blow off the Stink” and wake up to the fact that the sun is coming back. It’s time to jump the candle to take a Leap of Faith.   We’ll think about what feels difficult for us, something we want to accomplish and by taking a leap of faith invite in the mystery (god, goddess, universal mind…) and allow assistance by the invisible forces.” shared at The Art House in Vermont Jan. 30, 2009.

Read about Brigid

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